Adult Literacy and Gary Kapanowski

Adult literacy is a significant topic that bears opinion, facts and perspective. The simple message from this crisis is that when adults are able to read and write, they hold the power to transform their lives. It is one of the key elements to solving a variety of socioeconomic problems in this country and around the world. Things like gender equality, poverty relief, slavery and world health can be improved by instituting an adult population that is more literate and able to find facts and discover new things. As individuals learn the skills of reading, writing, basic math and computers they are more likely to be able to carry themselves forward into better situations. This can lead to improved healthcare costs, a reduction in poverty and the ability to find sustained employment. Statistics show that poverty, crime and unemployment are linked to low literacy. Low literacy has been shown to hurt the economy by stunting job creation and limiting demand for products. Those that are affected struggle with things like every day budgeting and in dealing with complicated tasks. It also can affect an individual’s ability to understand and use health information which adds to rising health costs and an increased risk for hospitalization. Gary Kapanowski is a resident of Detroit who supports various causes that support changes in improving literacy within this country and around the world. He recognizes how important this important cause is and the difference that it can make in people’s lives. He volunteers his time at Macomb Literacy Partners which is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing tutoring for adults on a one-on-one basis in all aspects of reading writing and English.